Local NAACP Branch Honors Retired Murrieta Police Chief Hadden

By Jennifer Palo

The local branch of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and the Murrieta Police Department met recently for an important presentation. On January 12, NAACP Branch 1034 President Pastor Willie J. Oliver, Jr. presented recently retired Chief Sean Hadden with a Certificate of Appreciation and a plaque honoring his partnership with the branch for the past several years. He also shared words of gratitude and good will for retired Chief Hadden and his successor Chief Tony Conrad.

“Chief Hadden has been very instrumental in changing the climate and culture of our communities. As the Chief of Police, he always wanted to be in front of issues and change, instead of being reactive. His relationship with NAACP Branch 1034 has always been one of respect, honesty, and accountability. He will be missed, but we also have equal confidence in his successor, Chief Tony Conrad,” declared President Pastor Oliver.

Numerous members of the Murrieta and Menifee police departments and the Murrieta Fire Department were present along with NAACP Branch 1034 members. The brief presentation was held in front of the Murrieta Police Department on a sunny afternoon with Chief Hadden’s wife Doreen also in attendance.

In receiving the honor, Chief Hadden shared, “I am honored and humbled to receive the very nice plaque and certificate from NAACP Branch 1034. I am very thankful to have had such a close friendship with the leadership of Branch 1034 for the past seven and a half years, and I am extremely proud of the partnership the Murrieta Police Department and Branch 1034 have been able to build over these past years.”

He outlined the partnership of Branch 1034 and the Murrieta Police Department in hosting community forums and town meetings along with movie nights during Black History Month and throughout the year.

Several years ago, former Branch 1034 President Darryl Smith reached out to Chief Sean Hadden to initiate a relationship between the two organizations to build a bridge of understanding and strengthen the community. This was at a time when several national incidents spotlighted the strained relationship between some communities of color and the police. Since then, Branch 1034 and the Murrieta Police Department under Chief Hadden’s leadership have worked together to educate the community and bring concerns of local individuals to a positive conclusion.

Chief Hadden stated, “I have also appreciated the advocacy Branch 1034 has provided to our community and for being the much-needed conduit between the police department and those that may have a distrust of law enforcement. Although the COVID pandemic has negatively impacted gatherings and plans to host more community meetings this past year, I look forward to seeing the NAACP Branch 1034, Police Chief Tony Conrad, and the Murrieta Police Department continue to work together to make Murrieta a positive example for other communities in the near future.”

In June, Branch President Pastor Oliver and Chief Sean Hadden coordinated a prayer vigil in front of the Murrieta Police Department after the death of George Floyd. Once again, the two organizations worked together to foster community understanding and unity during a time of national tension.

Looking toward the future, President Pastor Oliver and Branch 1034 anticipate continuing the positive relationship with the Murrieta Police Department now under the leadership of Chief Tony Conrad, who also attended the presentation. Chief Conrad declared, “The Local NAACP Branch is very important to our department. Chief Hadden established that relationship and fostered it over the years. I plan on doing the same. I also enjoyed watching Pastor Oliver give that recognition to Chief Hadden. It showed me how your branch feels about our department.”

Further solidifying the partnership, Chief Conrad stated, “Our Mission Statement starts out with: ‘In Partnership with Our Community’. To me that means transparency, trust, honesty and the ability to communicate with the people we serve. I want our department’s goals and values to reflect those of our community. Our success as a police department over the years is primarily linked to the relationship we have always had with our community.”

Because these two organizations have built an intentional relationship with each other, Murrieta can be a model for valuing local partnerships that build community in the most instructive and positive ways.

The vision of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights and there is no racial hatred or racial discrimination. The branch is welcoming new members to get involved. Zoom meetings are held on the last Saturday of each month. For more information, please reach out to branch1034naacp@gmail.com, visit the website at changeisontherise.wixsite.com/naacp-branch-1034 or call 951-387-8848.